Trading Snow and Toys
by Awareness Bringer
Summary: Sugar becomes a Snow Human and is seperated from her sister. How will things change? You decide. Challenge story.


**Didn't get a lot of attention to the question on my recent one-shot, so I decided to do this challenge story about Monet and Sugar of the Donquixote Pirates, anyway. Before I get started, here's a few guidelines of mine followed by a disclaimer.**

 **No unnecessary bashing: seeing characters grow up and show hidden strengths is all good until it looks like the writer is purposefully making the character in question look like an unlikable nuisance at best and a complete villain at worst. Trust me, it's best to show both the positives and negatives of those in a story. And since this is an AU, I'm working forward to some people growing up differently, especially in a positive manner.**

 **No slash: I try not to judge people who have different "bonding" preferences compared to mine, but I really don't think that characters that weren't listed as canonically yaoi in nature should be depicted as such. Not that I like gender bending much either.**

 **Keep the content at a controlled level: meaning that it's probably best to be mindful of which direction the story/stories will go. I like straight lemons as much as the next fellow, but given how things all are iffy on certain websites like FFN, it would probably be wise to just walk first before jumping.**

 **Don't shy away from asking me for advice or beta reading: however, I won't dictate your execution as it should ultimately be your decision. I'm doing fine with it so far with digemsmack over his Fairy Tail story which I gave my patronage for, Ascension of the Second Apocalypse.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece, Eiichiro Oda does.**

 **[TSAT]**

 **Trading Snow and Toys**

 **[TSAT]**

Eleven years after the eventful execution of Gold Roger, the King of the Pirates, a Marine ship in the North Blue Sea sailed for Reverse Mountain to travel towards the East Blue. Normally, such actions indicated a Navy officer and those under his or her command were being transferred, but in fact, the Marines on board were escorting two persons of interest that sought to find a better life in the East Blue in exchange for two Devil Fruits the older of the pair had stolen from the infamous Donquixote Pirates. A Marine with no honor or compassion to speak of would have just taken the Devil Fruits and left the two sisters to their fate, but fortunately for the girls, the captain of the vessel adhered to their request humbly and fairly, even if his good intents were tempered by a desire for a promotion and to see the Donquixotes brought down. It was a dark night previous to the day the Navy ship would arrive at Reverse Mountain, when the passengers would face a delay that, while short, would change the lives of both Monet and Sugar for years to come.

While the ship's Marine crew busied themselves on the deck, seventeen-year-old Monet was giving medicine to her sister eight years younger than herself named Sugar in the Captain's Cabin that had been politely offered to them. It wasn't Amber Lead Syndrome she was afflicted with, thankfully, but her fever had gotten bad to the point Sugar didn't leave her bed in Spider Miles for more than one week, which prompted a desperate Monet to break into the Donquixote Pirates' local base when they weren't present and steal the two Devil Fruits that they had been holding in reserve before making a deal with the Marines for safe passage to the East Blue, medicine for Sugar, and two hundred million berries. Looking back, she figured it was an exceptionally reckless move on her part, but without their parents, Sugar was Monet's responsibility and she would never forgive herself if her only sister was lost for all time. Fortunately, the Marine Captain was kind enough to take them to the East Blue in exchange for the Logia and Paramecia powers she had obtained.

"Just keep swallowing it slowly, Sugar." The green haired Monet soothed to her aquamarine haired sister, who grimaced from the medicine's bad taste. "I know it's not grape-flavored, but I'll be sure to buy you some fresh grapes once you're better."

Sugar smiled upon hearing that. "Do you think we can buy a whole island's worth of grapes at our new home, Monet?"

Monet giggled. "I don't know. I wouldn't want to spend all our money so fast, Sugar. I guess we could buy a vineyard where we could grow and sell our own grapes, but I don't exactly have the green thumb for it."

Sugar's smile grew wider. "No, but you definitely have the hair for it."

Both sisters laughed at the statement and it warmed Monet's heart to see Sugar so happy. After three years since the loss of their parents and family fortune, the two girls would finally have a good home to live in without the forced need of stealing for food and money before running off to escape pursuing criminals and authorities. The East Blue might not have been known for being the breeding ground of world-changing fighters, but from what Monet could tell, it was far more peaceful and less dangerous than the North Blue, which was appealing to the two sisters who had struggled for necessities in a long time. To top it off, they would have two hundred million berries to start them off.

And it was all thanks to the Snow-Snow and Hobby-Hobby Fruits.

"So, Sugar, since we're going to get out of the poor house for good, have you thought about what you want to be when you're older?" Monet asked. While Sugar was still nine, she couldn't help but wonder what sort of future her sister could have.

"Uh, I don't know, Monet." Sugar replied uncertainly. "I think I still have a lot of options, though."

Monet giggled. "I know, I just can't wait to see my cute little sister grow up into a beautiful woman."

"Monet!" Sugar whined, but her sister ignored it in favor of hugging her.

Sugar was about to complain again when they then heard loud splashes outside the ship. Panicked, Monet went to the nearby window and saw with much fear in her eyes that the flamingo-styled ship of the Donquixote Pirates was heading straight for the vessel they were on.

"Monet, what's wrong?" Sugar asked concerned.

Instead of replying to her sister right away, Monet thought hard. It was without a doubt the pirates wanted the Devil Fruits back, or at least the Hobby-Hobby Fruit, which had more strategic value than the Snow-Snow Fruit. While they could return the Devil Fruits or have the Marines fight the battle for them and either way hope for the best, Monet heard many ugly stories about the Donquixotes and their captain to take that risk, let alone join their crew. It was then she realized, and much to her grief, that there was a chance they only knew of one thief and no one else.

Making up her mind, Monet opened the nearby chest that held the white apple of the Snow-Snow Fruit and the blue polka dotted watermelon of the Hobby-Hobby Fruit.

"Monet, what are you doing?" Sugar asked even more worried.

"The pirates I stole the Devil Fruits from are after us!" Monet all but screamed to the shocked and afraid Sugar.

"They're going to kill us?" Sugar asked, scared for both of their lives.

Monet handed the Snow-Snow Fruit to Sugar and took out a knife from an adjacent cabinet to cut a piece off the Hobby-Hobby Fruit.

"Monet!" Sugar cried. "What are you trying to do?!"

Monet began in a firm tone of voice. "Sugar, I need you to eat the Snow-Snow Fruit while I eat the Hobby-Hobby Fruit."

"What? Why?"

Monet hesitated, but answered. "Because the Snow-Snow Fruit's power will help you in defending yourself when I'm not around." She then took the Devil Fruit piece into her mouth and swallowed it, even if she winced at the bad taste.

Sugar thought over her sister's words and then began to panic again. "No! You can't just leave me behind!"

Monet grabbed Sugar's head until they were staring at each other face to face. "Listen, Sugar! I don't want to leave you either, but Donquixote Doflamingo has been destroying entire towns since he was about your age, and I wouldn't trust him with your life at all! If I can convince him that the Snow-Snow Fruit isn't worth losing the Hobby-Hobby Fruit, he'll leave you alone! The only downside is that we'll have to split up!"

"Split up?!" Sugar yelled. "We'll might never see each other again! And what about our deal with the captain?! Even if he takes me to the East Blue with the money, how long do you think I'll survive alone?!"

"I don't know!" Monet snapped with tears in her eyes. "But I don't want that monster to use you, too!"

Succumbing to their mutual sadness, the two sisters wept and hugged each other for half a minute until they saw through the window that the flamingo-styled pirate ship was standing right on the Marine vessel's starboard side.

"Monet." Sugar begged.

Monet looked away and left her sister's side. "Please eat the Devil Fruit, Sugar. And grow up strong for me and our parents."

Sugar did what she could to hold her tears back. "I will! And when I grow up, I'll rise up in the Navy, or become my own Pirate Captain if I have to! The point is I'll come to get you back, no matter what or how long it takes! I promise!"

Smiling proudly, Monet a blew kiss to her sister and said one last sentence before walking out of the room and Sugar's line of sight for a long time. "I love you, Sugar."

"I love you, too, Monet." Sugar was quick to say before the door closed. She then helped herself to the Snow-Snow Fruit, regardless of it's bad taste or her own wet tears, and waited to see what would happen next.

Fifteen minutes later, the pirate ship was gone and the Marine Captain came in to tell Sugar that Monet gave herself up to avoid any casualties. He then said, though, that in light of the latter's selfless deed and the former's misfortune predicament, that he would abide by their previous agreement and drop off Sugar at Logue Town in the East Blue with the payment. He would also contact the World Government's orphanages in that sea to find a suitable location for the nine-year-old Snow Woman to be looked after until she was of age. Seeing little choice on where to go, Sugar went along with the Captain's directions.

 **[TSAT]**

Upon arriving at Logue Town, Sugar met with a pair of orphanage houseparents from the Commi Islands who took her to Cocoyashi Village where she would spend several months at. It wasn't an easy transition without Monet around, and some of the looks which ranged from curious to fearful she received from others who may have thought Devil Fruits were no more than myths didn't help much, but as she developed her powers, Sugar was able to conjure up one snow day after another which endeared her to the local children. She even learned how to melt the snow into clean, drinkable water that she would then sell to the farmers for money that would be saved with the money she got entering the East Blue. The people she most frequented with in both areas were the tangerine farmer Bellemere and her two adoptive daughters Nojiko and Nami who were a happy, yet struggling, family that reminded her of the time she had with her parents and Monet.

However, not wanting to be placed into adoption, Sugar would constantly sneak out of the orphanage during visiting hours to avoid potential parents. While she was close to Bellemere and her kids, Sugar wasn't comfortable in letting go of her birth family, especially if any new surroundings meant she would be deprived of the means to become strong in either the Navy or elsewhere. It worried the houseparents, but they understood Sugar's reasons. Nonetheless, Sugar's life would take a changing turn again when a well-known Marine came to Cocoyashi upon learning of the orphaned Devil Fruit user that lived there.

"I'm sorry for asking this, Nojiko, but do you remember your birth family?" Sugar shyly asked when the two girls and Nami were alone in Bellemere's tangerine grove.

Nojiko hummed for a bit before answering. "Not much. I was pretty young myself when Bellemere found us." She then smiled warmly. "But it's okay that I don't know them. One way or another, I still have a mom and sister that loves me."

Sugar returned the smile briefly, but then sighed unhappily which didn't go unnoticed by either of the sisters.

"You're still worried about your sister?" Nami asked sadly.

"I can't help but worry, Nami. I haven't seen a lot of the Donquixote Pirates in the newspapers, and when there is an article about them, it doesn't mention anyone who looks like Monet."

"I'm sure she's okay, Sugar." Nojiko comforted with a hand on her shoulder. "You did say that the pirates would make use of her Devil Fruit power, right?"

"I did, but I still wish I knew what she was doing."

Before the conversation could continue on, a tall, elderly man wearing the cloak of a Marine officer walked over to the girls and conversated with them. "Excuse me, little ladies, but I'm looking for a little girl named Sugar and I was told she was here."

"Uh, yes, I'm Sugar." She introduced herself uncertainly. "Did Captain Momonga told you about me?"

Bending down on his knees, the old Marine smiled. "That's right. I would've come here earlier, but being a Vice Admiral and a so-called Hero among the Marines tends to draw you from home more often than you'd prefer."

Sugar and the two sisters didn't take long to connect the pieces together. "You're Vice Admiral Garp the Fist?!" They exclaimed in shock.

Garp laughed loudly. "The one and only!" He then coughed into his hand before talking to Sugar seriously. "Anyway, Sugar, I heard about your little predicament, and while I can't promise you that I can get your sister back from that birdbrained freak with the unshaven legs or teach you how to handle your Devil Fruit power, I can offer you the endurance training fit for any dedicated and strong Marine."

"But isn't Sugar too young to be a Marine?" Asked Nojiko.

"That's why I'm offering training and a place to do it at, first." Garp replied nonchalantly before turning to Sugar. "We can talk about your official entrance when you're older. What do you say?"

A moment of hesitation passed as Sugar thought it over. Turning to Nami and Nojiko, they exchanged hopeful smiles and a thankful group hug. "I promise I'll come over when I'm ready to be at sea on my own." She said with some tears. "Thanks for being my friends."

"It's okay, Sugar." Nojiko said back to her. "We'll see each other again."

"Just be sure to say bye to Mom, too, alright?" Inputted Nami.

"Got it." Sugar nodded before turning to the smiling Garp. "I'll go get my stuff."

 **[TSAT]**

Over a week of traveling later, Sugar arrived at a small village outside the Goa Kingdom's city on Dawn Island, which Garp described as his home away from work. During the time, Sugar got to recognize Garp as the brazen, erratic, and yet good-hearted person he truly was underneath his reputation. Although Sugar didn't yet have the familiarity to call him her adopted grandfather, she had grown to like him very much as an unlikely mentor, especially after he promised not to give her his "Fist of Love" until she was fifteen as a way of being respectful to her youth and gender. Placed on the Vice Admiral's shoulders as he walked to the village bar, Sugar heard ecstatic shouts from inside until a boy younger than her and wearing a straw hat ran out to greet Garp.

"Hey, Grandpa!"

As Sugar tried to process the statement, Garp bellowed with laughter, laid Sugar down, and brought the boy into a hug. "Good to see you, Luffy. I hope those damn Red-Hair Pirates didn't cause too much of a ruckus around here while I was gone."

"Oh, they weren't any trouble at all, Grandpa. I learned a lot from Shanks, actually. He even saved me from getting eaten by a Sea King."

"A pirate saved from death?" Sugar asked in confusion. She didn't really expect a pirate to save children of all things.

"Yeah, he's my friend." Luffy said to her with a smile before looking wide eyed. "Wait, who are you?"

Sugar shyly held her hands together. "I'm Sugar. Your grandpa adopted me a little while ago. I guess I'm your big sister now."

Luffy tilted his head at first before grinning widely and cheered. "Awesome! I've got a sister!" which brought a proud look on Garp's face and a hopeful smile on Sugar's.

 **[TSAT]**

 **Hope this idea looked enterprising enough. For this story, I used the background story for Monet and Sugar I first used in Hazardous Punks, only in this, they tried to escape, and would've succeeded if Monet wasn't put in the same situation Viola would be placed in years later.**

 **I know I didn't identify Momonga as the Marine Captain at first, but that was because I was debating whether I'd let the future challenge taker figure out a suitable Marine fitted for the role or not at time. But I decided to use Momonga anyway because he felt workable to me. For Sugar's time with Nami and Nojiko, I figured that Garp wouldn't be in the East Blue at the time for work reasons, and given the response Logue Town gave to Smoker, I figured the only canonical place that I read had a working orphanage would be suitable enough. It could especially work for a possible scenario similar to the first, and unfortunately so far only, chapter of Primordial Vortex's CRUSH! story.**

 **Anyway, for this idea, Sugar, and perhaps Luffy, can be anything that would fit the story. Marine, pirate, revolutionary, separately, together as partners or even lovers, so long as it's good and follows my guidelines, I'm good. Personally, I'd like to see a Sugar who ages gracefully and beautifully to be paired with Luffy and that Monet also finds a way to age again after Doflamingo gets beaten, but that's up for the challenge taker to decide. Just let me know if anyone's interested.**

 **I have more One Piece one-shots and challenges to let out in time.**


End file.
